A magazine release is a critical control that locks and releases the ammunition magazine from a firearm. Many firearms utilize a magazine that is linearly inserted into a magazine well in the firearm. For a number of reasons, including but not limited to the relatively long left and right sidewalls of the magazine, such firearms typically provide a side-locking recess on the magazine which is configured to engage with a magazine release mechanism of the firearm. This structure allows for a full, lateral push-button mechanism to lock and release magazines having a side-locking recess. For example, such a mechanism is used on the AR-15/M16 firearms and their associated M16 STANAG pattern magazine. Operating the side button slides the magazine release mechanism out of engagement with the side-locking recess in the magazine. This allows the magazine to drop free. However, standard AR-15/M16 firearms and other known firearms using magazines with side-locking recesses do not have a truly ambidextrous magazine release allowing actuation of the magazine mechanism by essentially the same user movement when the firearm is fired using either the left or right hand of a user.
Known firearms such as the Springfield XD and other newer generation pistols incorporate a magazine locking mechanism engaging a locking recess on the front of the magazine facilitating truly ambidextrous magazine release controls. Such structures greatly simplify the method of actuation. However, most existing systems, most notably the AR-15/M16 firearms cannot easily be converted to this method of operation. Literally millions of magazines having side-locking recesses for use with these firearms are in circulation and have been in use for many years. Thus, there is a significant logistical need for governments using the AR-15/M16 firearms and the associated M16 STANAG pattern magazines to retain the use of the M16 STANAG pattern magazines.
There have been attempts to provide an ambidextrous magazine release for firearms using a side-locking magazine by incorporating a lever into the magazine release. One such unit is known as the Norgon AmbiCatch™ and it is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,954. The Norgon AmbiCatch™ incorporates a lever into the magazine release and thus combines a translational magazine release actuation from one side of the firearm and a rotational magazine release action from the other side of the firearm in order to release the magazine. More particularly, the right side control functions using a translational movement which is the conventional movement used with the AR-15/M16 firearm magazine release, but the left side control uses a rotational actuation of the lever that has significantly less travel and may be more prone to accidental disengagement. Furthermore, the different modes of actuation complicate user training as different magazine release techniques have to be taught to users who fire the firearms using their right hand versus those firing the firearm using their left hand. This also creates potential for confusion and loss of critical time if users have to switch firing hands in the field while accounting for a different release mechanism in critical firing situations.
A somewhat better design which more closely approaches a truly ambidextrous magazine release is described in Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,985. This catch release is intended for use with Colt® M1911 pistols. The Smith catch release solves at least some of the problems of the Norgon AmbiCatch™ structure by providing for actuation from both the left and right sides of the firearm by means of translational buttons. However, the Smith structure requires numerous parts and the different operational modes as between actuation from the left side and the right side may provide a different feel to the user. The Smith magazine release mechanism also requires a number of small, delicate parts, which may be detrimental to the durability and operation of the critical magazine release mechanism in dirty environments.
The ambidextrous push-button magazine release for side-locking ammunition magazines disclosed and claimed herein is intended for overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.